Key-retainer.



A. I. JACOBS.

KEY RETAINER.

APPLIOA TION FILED MAB. 9, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

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ARTHUR I. JACOBS, Ol? HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNO R TO THE JACOBS UANUFAC- TURIXG COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPOlL-VJION OF CONNECTICUT.

KE Y-RE TAINER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR I. Jaoons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Key-Retainer, of which the following is a specification.

The ordinary tumbler lock for doors, cabinets, and the like as commonly made, is de signed so compactly, that is, the key is so near the knob spindle that the bow of the key is quite close to the knob. As the bit of the key for such locks has no counter-balance, it tends to swing downward and causes the bow of the key to stand vertically in such a manner that the upper edge of the bow is so near the knob that when the knob is grasped by the hand and turned for withdrawing the latch, the fingers often become bruised,

scratched or injured by contact with the bow. When the weight of the bit has caused it to swing downward in line with the keyhole, the key often, especially if there is any jar about the premises, or when the door is opened or closed, falls out of the lock, and if it does not become lost, causes annoyance; and furthermore, if the key hangs with the bit downward, it can be easily pushed from the lock surreptitiously, and another key inserted from the other side of the lock.

The object of this invention is to provide a very simple means which will so engage the bit when the key is in place that the bow will normally lie in a horizontal plane, and leave sufficient clearance between the key and the knob to eliminate the danger of injuring the fingers when the knob is grasped and turned; and, which will hold the key in such position that it cannot accidentally fall or be jarred from the lock, and cannot be easily rotated from the other side, so that it can be pushed out of the lock and permit the insertion of another key. This object is accomplished by arranging an obstruction within the path of the bit of the key between the position it occupies when engaging the tumbler and throwing-the bolt and the position it must occupy before it can be removed; the con struction being such that this obstruction offers no undue interference to the ordinary turning of the key, but holds the bit and bow Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 419,899.

practically horizontal and prevents any accidental or unwarranter'l turning of the key.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a side view of a mortise lock with the key shown in the undesirable position. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the key in the desirable position. Fig. 3 shows a side View of the key. Fig. I shows a side View of the lock with a portion of the cover of the case broken away. Fig. 5 shows a detail of the device which is arranged within the case to provide the yielding obstruction for engaging the bit and holding the bow in the desired position.

The drawings illustrate an ordinary inortise door lock with a spring latch bolt 1 that is withdrawn by the knob 2, and a lock bolt 3 that is thrown by the key 4, the bit 5 of which is so shaped that when thrust into the keyhole 6 and turned around, it will lift the tun1- blers 7 and throw the lock bolt.

The pin 8 of the key, for an ordinary lock of this class, usually fits the key-hole loosely, and as the bit 5 extends only from one side of the pin and is not counter-balanced, it normally tends to drop in line with the key-hole, and being loose it often falls out of the look.

In the form of the invention shown, two pins or posts 10 are placed in or cast on the inner surface of the lock ease adjacent to the key-hole, and about these pins is placed a bow or yoke 11 which may be bent to shape from a piece of spring steel, bronze, or like resilient metal. This yoke is so formed that it extends around the posts and has its central portion resting against the inner face of the lower wall of the lock case adjacent to the bottom of the key-hole. The free ends of the yoke are bent toward each other in such manner as to form shoulders 12.

When the key is thrust into the key-hole and the bit is turned upward in either direction for lifting the tumblers and throwing the lock bolt, the bit engages a free end of the yoke and springs it outwardly so that the bit passes the shoulder with practically no restraint. After the key has been turned so that the bit is horizontal it is above these yielding obstructions and will rest against the shoulder of one of the free ends of the yoke, as shown in Fig. 4, until sufficient force is applied to turn the bit downward past the obstruction. The necessary force, however, to accomplish this is not great enough to be objectionable, for the free end of the yoke yields readily.

This organization is inexpensive, easy to apply to the common lock, and a free end of the yoke Will engage and hold the bit of the key so that the bow under normal conditions Will lie in a horizontal plane and not be liable to injure the fingers. It also prevents the key from accidentally falling out, and from being easily turned from the other side so that it can be pushed out of the lock.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with the case of a lock,

of a yoke arranged adjacent to the key-hole and having a free end With a shoulder in the path of the bit of the key on each side of the key-hole, substantially as specified.

2. The combination With the case of a lock, of a yoke formed of a single piece of spring metal bent so that its opposite ends are free and yielding With said opposite ends arranged adjacent to the key-hole and extending' into the path of'the bit of the key on opposite sides of the key-hole, substantially as specified.

ARTHUR I. JACOBS. Witnesses:

JOSEPHINE M. STREMPFER, HARRY R. WILLIAMS. 

